Where is the best place for students and teachers to bond in an environment outside of the classroom? For the students and faculty of Hillel Yeshiva High School, the answer to this question is clearly the annual Seminar.
This year’s Seminar was held in East Hanover, New Jersey and was jam-packed with fun, inspirational and educational activities from snow tubing to singing, watching a Hollywood hypnotist to learning, davening and dancing.
It began with prayer on Friday morning followed by snow tubing at Campgaw Mountain. Zooming down the track on their tubes, students were amazed to see their favorite teachers either zooming along side them or having a little difficulty navigating the course. In one particular instance, Hillel junior Ezra Tebele raced our beloved Ivrit teacher, Mrs. Shulamit Badoush down the track, the wager being a few class good behavior points. It was neck-and-neck for a while, until Mrs. Badoush flipped off her tube while Ezra peacefully reached the finish line.
The tubing was definitely exciting, but it was only the beginning of what was to come that weekend. The rest of Friday included lunch, hilarious comedy films that were created by the Seminar Comedy Committee, pre-Shabbat ruach, Shabbat dinner, zemirot (Jewish hymns) and learning sessions given by our Judaic faculty. This year’s Seminar theme was, “How Hashem Fills the World With His Glory: What Implications That Has On Our Lives,” and other thought-provoking topics. In my particular session, Rabbi Howard Bald, Head of High School, taught the underlying concepts that go along with saying a “beracha rishonah” before eating. There wasn’t one person in the room who didn’t contribute to the discussion. All participants in this session enjoyed themselves, learning some valuable lessons, hearing each other’s questions and ideas, and laughing along the way.
Generally, Friday night is the best part of Seminar. Dessert is served, and it is time for everyone to relax and enjoy each other’s company, whether playing “Bananagrams,” sharing jokes with faculty, or just bonding with friends. It is through this type of quality time that the school begins a shared sense of unity that develops throughout the weekend and grows stronger throughout the remainder of high school.
Shabbat was inspirational, thanks to the kavanah (focus, intention) during prayers, the wonderful Torah readers, and the faculty that encouraged our tefillot. The remainder of Shabbat was spent enjoying Shabbat lunch, zemirot, learning and menucha (Shabbat rest) during which the seminarians could hang out with each other. On Saturday night, the fun continued. Our new Director of Student Activities, Rabbi Dovid Becker, pieced together an amazing band, featuring a rock violinist. The room was rocking and rolling, as everyone spontaneously began dancing. Then the “Hollywood Hypnotist,” Dr. Kevin Stone, entertained us by hypnotizing several students. For some of us, the funniest part of the show was watching the just-hypnotized students seeing videos of themselves under hypnosis.
Another highlight was the Saturday night comedy skits by the Comedy Committee, a ritual at Seminar. This year’s committee had their time to shine with their hilarious skits satirizing the many unique aspects of Hillel. The Committee’s videos and skits were enjoyed so much by the seminarians that an encore viewing was scheduled for school. Then the band played on, the dancing increased in spirit and the students, advisors and faculty spent more quality time together.
Seminar, once again, was a great success. Everyone who attended got to know their fellow students and teachers on a different level. School spirit was enhanced through the comedy and skits, the singing, the sessions, Seudat Shabbat, and just by bonding over Shabbat.
I personally love Seminar for all of the above reasons and I can say that this year’s Seminar was the best and most successful one that I’ve ever been on. I can safely say that everyone who attended agrees that it was great!
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Albert Tawil is a junior at Hillel Yeshiva High School.
